68 3Iississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



Oregou't) is larger than the ash of the Atlantic .States, and is light and clastic. 

 The laurel {Arbutus menziesii) extends from California to Van Couver's Island, 

 and is common on the immediate shores of Puget's Sound, Fuca Straits and 

 the west coast. Three species of poplar are found, the most abundant is the 

 aspen {Ripulus tremidm). Several varieties of the willow grow along the river 

 banks; only two {Silic speci')Sa and Sidixsconlerana) attain the size of trees. 



The Hrst shipment of sawed lumber from Puget's Sound was in tlie fall of 

 18-51. The tirst steam saw mill was put up at Seattle, 1853. At present the 

 following mills are operating on the Sound, with a per diem capacity as in- 

 dicated : 



Mill. Feet. 



Port Gamble 150,000 



Port Ludlow 150,000 



Utsalady 75,000 



Port Madison 02,000 



Port Blakely 150,000 



Tacoma (old) 150,0(X) 



Seabeck 65.000 



Milton : 80,000 



Port Discovery t 60.000 



New Tacoma .' 15,000 



Stetson and Post at Seattle 20,000 



Coleman's at Seattle 30,000 



Whatcom 15,000 



The demand for lumber is such that these mills are run at their full 

 capacity. 



The primitive method of logging, handling and sawing timber into vari- 

 ous merchantable products, have all been superseded by most modern im- 

 provements. 



The iinest timber region of Washington may, with lu'opricty, be termed 

 as j'et unexplored in reality, which is that west Of iho Willamette meridian, 

 commencing at a point opposite Portland, Oregon, and running due north 

 to Port Townsend. Between this meridian and the Pacific ocean is an area 

 compo.sed of the Olympic range, as large as all the New England States, 

 densely covered with the most magnilicent growth of tirs that can be found 

 on the American continent. 



This vast timber tract is distinct from the forests on the eastern side of 

 Puget's Sound, where many million feet of timber are annually taken from 

 the dense growth of gigantic lirs which line the banks of the Saniish, Skagit, 

 Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Dawamish, Whit(>, Nesqually and Pinyallup rivers, 

 and extend ejustward to the snow line of the Cascade niounlains. All the 

 rivers named are capable of lioating millions of logs to the waters of Puget's 

 Sound. The product is towed in booms of logs by lug Itoits to the various 

 mills. 



